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signs.Some national manufacturers and franchisers,whose may require a setback from side or rear property lines or logo signs are very valuable to individual merchants,require may specify some relationship between the sign and the that such logo signs be installed on separate poles and not building.Provisions of sign or zoning regulations may pro- stacked on a pole with other signs.That poses a practical hibit signage, as well as fences and buildings, from being problem for auto dealers and others who handle multiple located in a"clear-site triangle,"which is typically an isos- lines of "name" products, each requiring a separate celes triangle with two 25-foot sides extending from the street freestanding sign. Although local governments need not corner along the curbs;some communities refine this limit cater to the dictates of large national companies,they must to include the area required for visibility from autos,which be sensitive to the fact that the local Chevrolet-Honda dealer is from roughly two feet above the ground to nine or 10 feet probably does not have enough bargaining power to per- above the ground. suade either manufacturer to change its requirements.Since Some local regulations make sign location and height multibrand auto dealers are likely to have large expanses of dependent variables, typically allowing lower signs to be street frontage,a limit for freestanding signs that is based on placed closer to the street.Such a regulation provides an in- street frontage should be responsive to that problem. centive for merchants to reduce sign height, thus reducing Limits on the number of wall signs and similar signs can the elevation—and perhaps the intrusiveness—of street clut- become difficult to define,administer,and enforce.Depend- ter.The varying heights and setbacks that will occur under ing on the definition, a stacked sign that says"Mini Mart such a regulation can also eliminate the problem of rows of Foods"and that includes a gasoline company logo below it signs obstructing the visibility of one another. may be considered one or two signs.The problem is hardly Local sign regulations sometimes require additional set- worth solving because the real issue is how much wall area backs for signs in residential areas or impose special restric- is covered by the signs.Thus,the model ordinance does not tions,such as subdued lighting and reduced height,on signs include limits on the number of wall signs, window signs, located within specified distances of residential property. and door signs.Although that may result in some walls ap- pearing more cluttered than others,some sign designers are Sign Height capable of making even a single sign seem cluttered. For The height of freestanding signs is an important issue in those who wish to regulate aesthetic details of sign design, streetscape aesthetics.Sign heights are often stunning to the the Street Graphics system provides an excellent approach. casual observer.One wag once suggested to the author that sign companies are in the business of selling poles,not signs. Location There are significant ironies involved in the tall signs that dot Location is an issue mostly for freestanding signs. The many commercial areas. An ideal sign height for auto most common locational requirement is a setback require- visibility on a city street with a 35-mile-per-hour speed limit ment from the front property line.Other local regulations is a height that puts a sign comfortably within the windshield The CCB sign would be treated as a roof sign under most local regulations because the sign structure appears to be separate from the building, whereas the First Federal sign is a wall sign. IL i t L 7